How do we remain 'social' when conducting business on social channels?

At our inaugural #MicUp event in September in London, we invited the attendees to write a guest article for our Salesforce UK #SocialSuccess page on any chosen topic.

The below post is from Kirstie Heneghan, Social Business Manager Corporate Sales & Marketing Excellence, 3M UK & Ireland. It focuses on the topic she addressed during her five minute talk to the audience: “How do we can remain 'social' when conducting business on social channels?”

What is your opinion on this topic? We love to hear your thoughts. And hopefully you can join us for the next Mic-Up event on January 24th at the Hospital Club and we can discuss in person.

“In business it is all too easy to fall into the common trap of getting into the mindset that you are dealing with ‘companies’, ‘organisations’, ‘customers’ or ‘consumers’.

Actually, what we are dealing with is ‘people’.

And those people like to deal with other people – people they like. They don’t want to deal with faceless corporate entities.

That’s a simple, basic human truth – and one that is changing the way we think about doing business.

For some time now, social media has been recognised as a game changer – companies no longer control what is said about them. Company employees can no longer sit in their ivory towers in ‘transmit’ mode – they have had to learn to listen.

And they have had get used to having conversations.

When you pick up your favourite magazine, you will recognise its personality.

You know what to expect from it – and you’re not disappointed.

It will have many writers – but the magazine as a whole has a multifaceted, interesting and cohesive persona.

That’s what people are increasingly looking for from the organisations they interact with online.

In an environment where there is little product differential, likability could help tip the balance in your favour.

And companies that recognise that can reap rich rewards.

So, just as magazines write with a reader in mind, that is what we are doing on some of our social channels. We have created ‘personas’ that help to shape the personality that we have when communicating on them. The more character you give, the more creative you can get with your content. What would the person, that is that business, do and say on a daily basis.

This is where we ultimately experiment and we’re expecting to adjust as we learn more.

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